Knowing Our Place In This World

I've neglected my blog for a while now. I partially blame this on Facebook, because I can make instant "posts" to what is affecting me in this world at any particular time. That one thing has severely hindered my will to write blog posts for a couple of years now. It's not that I don't have anything to say, I just say it multiple times a day, through a different outlet.

Saying that - some things require a different outlet, as a small comment window on Facebook, filled with blog post worthy ramblings will often go by unread, even if the content is spot on. People are just too lazy to read. But, that doesn't mean that God will not draw the attention and focus from those who He would have read the post, even if it is only one or two people.

I made such a rambling just now and knew that I had to put it in blog form, as my Facebook feed will go largely unseen. So here is my post, copied and pasted for the whole World Wide Web to possibly see, instead of my current 563 friends on Facebook alone. This is my heart right now, in light of the recent things happening in my world, in our world.

Sinners are going to sin. Period. It's not our "job" to call them out on it, it's our "job" to continue loving them. Period. This is the same as Christ's example of dining with tax collectors and prostitutes, because it was so radical in His day to do so.

I have friends who are sinners. I enjoy their company. I enjoy talking to them and building friendships with them. I may not have the bond with them as I do with a brother or sister in Christ, but there are bonds there.They do not agree with me on everything, and they still love me (like, some may call it because the term "love" is strong for some folks). I do not agree with them on everything and I still love them.

The world is our mission field. Our command is to "go, make disciples", not "go, tell people that they are sinners", although that topic will come up from time to time. God has placed each Christian within their very own, personal mission field no one else has your scope of influence, no one knows everyone in your circle, do not take it for granted.

The recent events in Kentucky have given me new perspectives. I am firm on my definition of marriage, because I know from God's Word what marriage is to Him- It is the earthly picture of Christ's love for His Bride, the Church and anything contrary to husband and wife is a distortion of that picture. But, the world is going to be the world. Those who do not know God are not going to follow God. That does not mean we cave or bend to the world, it means that we continue to stand on God's Word and show the world Christ's example. We do not say "yes, you're correct and we need to re-examine our stance in this time and understanding place in time" - We continue to say "This is what God says and even though I disagree with you I still love you, I still call you my friend, my brother, my sister, my mother, my co-worker, my son, my daughter, my boss, my server at the restaurant, my check out person at the grocery store, my tax collector, my banker, my ........".

We are salt and light to this world. We are to show how God has made us different. I have seen this example in others and have learned (discipled, if you will) into a better understanding of what Christ meant when He said those words. This doesn't mean that I condone any sinful lifestyle, this means I love my friends regardless, even when everyone else turns their back on them. This means that I extend my hand any time they fall and not say "I told you so". It doesn't matter the particular application, we are to simply be Christ to this world. Period. How that looks to each member of the Body will vary, but all will have the same goal - To glorify the Father through Christ.

I always stand on God's Word as authority, even in these dark days, with major issues in opposition to God here in the USA; especially in these days. I will not bend, I will not waver, but I will continue to love my neighbor just as Christ did.

I could go into the implications of standing firm for God, being called a "hater" a "bigot" ,etc. but nothing could be further from the truth. The reaction from the world should not deter or make us waver. Continue to love. Continue to extend your hand. Continue to be Christ, even to death if that is the final outcome, with the words of Jesus ringing true from your mouth, in hopes that some will be saved "Father, forgive them. They do not know what they do".

CCM Radio Observations From The Peanut Gallery

Admittedly, I do not listen to a whole lot of CCM radio. I've outlined the “why” in several blogs before (Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here and Here). The main reason is that Philips, Craig and Dean are prominently played and promoted and PC&D being heretics I cannot support that. A second, and close, reason is that the DJs are really “squishy” with what they say. Well, “squishy” is putting it mildly, they are sometimes heretical, and so I don’t listen. If CCM radio, in general, were to do away with the DJs and cut out the heretical songs and artists, then I might listen more often.

This past week was different in my listening of the radio. I basically worked alone in the office, so I pulled out my trusty boombox and turned on KLOVE. I did have to turn it down a few times, but being in and out of the office all day the turning down of the volume knob was few and far between. I was pleasantly surprised….. Except for one issue that has been being pushed this whole week; the 30 day music challenge.

On the surface we all say, “Yes, listen to Christian music exclusively and you’ll ‘feel’ better. You will ‘be happier’. You will ‘smile more’. You will ……..”. And therein also lies the issues, the music is being pushed as a cure to whatever ails you, wherever you have shortcomings in your life will miraculously be cured. Poof. That also opens up the true issue, pointing to music to change one’s life instead of pointing to Christ. Why can’t these DJs and stations (not only KLOVE – AFR does some of the same things) give a clear representation of the Gospel each hour instead of pushing their agenda to get people to listen to their station more? Why can’t a “Christian” station not promote Christ instead of what could very well be some great side benefits of an actual relationship with Him?

You see similar issues through the year, most notably during their pledge drives. This is where they set aside a few weeks a year to guilt their listeners into donating money. What happened to God supplying the means in His ministries? Instead of “God has supplied” it has turned into “our listeners make this happen”. This is a firm, yet subtle, insistence that “we” humans make things happen and we are to be praised for it. Wrong. Hudson Taylor put it greatly when he said, “God’s work done in God’s time will never lack God’s supply”. Taylor’s words should ring true to all Christians that instead of a focus on funding and all of the “what can I do” thoughts, we should place our focus on God and let Him bring in the support. That would take a huge burden off of all those involved, that is if you actually believe God will support His ministries. It probably wouldn't be a stretch to say there are a lot of “ministries” out there, radio stations, shelters, food banks and even churches that a long time ago took God out of the equation and He has decided to stay out. What is sad is that these ministries keep on chuggin’ along, trying to make ends meet, doing a lot of “good” but doing it in their own power, which doesn't glorify God and may actually be sin.

It would be really good if KLOVE were to say, “Listening to CCM music may make you 'feel' better, but the only One that can change you is Jesus Christ”, then go into a full Gospel presentation. That is something that is noticeably absent from “Christian Radio” - the Gospel. When all that a ministry is is to share the Gospel, not relaying the Gospel really shows a lot. Of course “Jesus” is mentioned from time to time, but for the most part it is a lot of “Do, do, do” and works, like M.A.D. Monday (Make a difference Monday). M.A.D. Monday is the idea of just being “good” makes a difference in someone's life AND you don't have to say anything about Christ in the process. Sure, paying for my lunch in the drive-thru may make a $5 difference in my checking account, but how is that impacting the Kingdom? How is doing something for “goodness sake” letting someone know about Christ? This kind of thinking goes along with the quote from St. Francis of Assisi, “ Preach the gospel and use words if necessary”. It sounds good , but it is detrimental to the Kingdom. (See this article)

I really want to like CCM radio, I really do, but I just can't in its present state. I can't like the fact that know heretics are promoted, I can't like the fact that works seem to be a major focus, I can't like that funding is shilled like carnival barker coaxing patrons in with promises unfounded. Why oh why can't the focus be on Christ? Why can't the pledge drives talk about how great Christ is and therefore how great an honor it is to join in His work, instead of telling people how dependent the station is on them? Why can't listeners be encouraged to share the Gospel, with words and in tangible ways that will make a positive impact on the Kingdom? I guess my listening to CCM radio will continue as normal, sporadic, with glimpses of hope that one day they will realize their focus is blurred. Until then, I will continue listening to my music via my phone's MP3 player 99% of the time, all the time having hope that God will one day be the focus of radio stations that claim to follow Him.  

Christmastime: How Dareth Thou?

Ahhhhh. It's that time of the year. The time that the leaves are falling from the trees, signaling the arrival of fall, quickly followed by winter and Christmas. But hark, who goes there? Christians celebrating the coming of the Messiah? What? That cannot be! Who dares to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ; the greatest Miracle ever?

The chiding actually started on Facebook around Halloween time. I saw a scattering of posts deriding believers (in name only or actually true Christians) for joining in the celebration and festivities of Halloween, then quickly followed with "Yeah, they are the same ones that celebrate the pagan holiday of Christmas too". I admit, I never heard of the "pagan holiday of Christmas" until I joined Facebook a few years ago and had the privilege of coming across those that thought this way. Never did I know that I was bowing down to a idol when I set up a tree, put decorations around the house or gave gifts to people that I love. I was ignorant of such things being "pagan" and quickly learned that I may not actually be a Christian if I did, indeed, celebrate Christmas.

Wow! I was actually in shock and started doing some research. It seems that the celebration of Christ's birth was celebrated before moving the date to December 25th and was moved to that date to try and dissuade pagans from celebrating a false idol and instead show them who the true God is. So, the argument became "You celebrate a pagan ritual/ celebration of a sun god" and anyone who celebrates Christmas was indeed taking part in worshiping that god and there was no way that they could celebrate the coming of the Savior on that day. I wrote on some of this last year and just recently found out that I was incorrect in something, the celebrations by Christians was not an "alternative" to the sun-god worship. The celebration of Christ's birth was already taking place, only the date was changed to coincide with December 25th's pagan celebration.

I am still in the mindset I was last year: Christmas has been commercialized to a very high degree by the fallen culture we live in. Now, what do Christians do with that? Do they not celebrate Christmas because the lost society has "paganized" it? Or do Christians continue to celebrate the coming of the Savior? I'd say the latter, but with the assumption that everything situated around the holiday is Christ focused and honoring. So, pretty much the same as any other day of the year for a follower of Christ, but with one small bonus- We get the chance to actually tell others and show others what Christmas really is. We get a "free ticket" to be able to interject the story of Christmas and therefor tell why Jesus came to this Earth in the first place - to save sinners like us. We get a chance to tell the Gospel to folks that would normally not give you the time or day to do so.

Now, what about those that want to tell me that I am "participating in pagan sun-god worship"? I say: "Really?" These folks are under some very bad misunderstandings. I would like to know the process that leads someone to this viewpoint. I would like to know why they use pagan ways (Windows/ Bill Gates product or Mac OS/ Steve Jobs product) daily in bible study, work or entertainment and see nothing wrong with that. How can you shop at stores that have pagan owners, have pagan workers and buy pagan products and yet condemn a Christian (true or not) for celebrating Christ's birth? How can you call today Saturday when it is named after Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture? Or even venture out of your house on Sunday since that day was named after the Sun? I am not trying to throw a red-herring or straw-man in the mix, but simply show that many things around us may be "pagan" but that doesn't mean that we are pagan.

Take the Christmas season to show the love of Christ. If you choose not to celebrate Christmas, for whatever reason, then don't. Don't call someone a pagan because they do and I won't call you a Pharisee for trying to impose laws that are not there. Christ came to save us from sin. He lived a sinless and perfect life to atone for our sins. He died and shed His blood to wash us clean and I will tell that in any way I can, as much as I can, to whoever I can....... Even on December 25th.

Fashion Statement Or Witnessing Opportunity?

Day 345 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

I saw these bracelets and have some mixed emotions about them. Actually, I'm not really sure if I like them or if I don't. I'm still on the fence about them and a trip to a website describing them doesn't help out any either.

The premise is that when worn properly, these bracelets are to be a reminder of the scars on Jesus' wrists, His sacrifice for our sins. While I appreciate that we need to be reminded (sadly) of Jesus constantly, is this a way to do it? Therein lies my dilemma. Are these reverent to the Lord?

What further muddles this bracelet for me is the "Mission" that proceeds from these bracelets support. Here is a copy/ paste:

THE MISSION:
Over one billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. This ongoing issue threatens life on a devastating scale. We can mend that. In an effort to advocate the message of love on a global level, a portion of proceeds from every sale will go directly to Living Water International. To learn more about LWI, the world water crisis and what is being done to combat it visit: www.water.cc

I see that giving fresh water to areas that need it as very valuable. The Living Waters International ministry seems like a great thing too. I do not know anything about the organization than the little I read on their website. I take them at their word, which they have no reason to mislead. They use the supplying of water to communities in foreign lands to be a catalyst to spread the love of Christ. Wonderful! I pray that the latter is the focus and the former is just the means to get an audience. I can see where some ministries get things flopped around and just tack Jesus on to the physical needs. I am not making any type of judgment call against this group and I pray that the Lord uses them to add many to the Kingdom.

Back to the bracelets. My first thought was, "How much are these things?" Then my second thought was, "I bet these would make great ice breakers when someone asked what they are." These could be the conversation starter in order to tell of the love of Christ to someone, to share the gospel. Sort of like a tract without paper.... and that you are wearing it and don't pass anything out. So, it's not like a tract after all, but it could still be a great conversation starter. But that does take me back to if it is reverent or not. Should we be trying to portray the marks of our forgiveness, the scars of Christ? Sort of like removable leather stigmata.

Like I said, I am still on the fence. I can see the good from them and I can see a little "bad" with them. So, maybe one of you can share your opinion with a comment or three and let me know your take. I post 99.9% of the comments left here, even if they disagree with my viewpoint, just as long as there is no cursing and no blatant attacks. Other than that I post them all. I appreciate dialog and I gain much from it. SO please, leave a comment if you have a different take or if you agree with me.

Flooded Ground Ready For Tilling

Day 325 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

This picture is becoming an all too familiar scene. Piles of belongings, now only good to fill land fill space sitting outside of homes and along roadways. The Flood of 2011 has devastated this area, that is for sure. The flood has destroyed homes, made many hardships for families, displaced many families and is constantly racking up the costs as repair efforts continue.

There are, however, many bright spots beneath the mud caked houses. Our church has become a haven for those in one of the hardest hit locations of McCracken County to pick up supplies, have dinner on us and just talk. That's all a lot of people want to do, talk things through as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives and carry on. I would say that the majority are lost and do not know God. I say this because most people that do profess Christ do not know God. Oak Grove Baptist Church is doing what it should, just being there to listen, giving a meek meal to the hungry and wore out folks and most importantly showing the love of Christ to those in need. Is it taking advantage of an opportunity? Sure, and shouldn't any opportunity be used in this way? To show Christ to those that may never see Him otherwise? This is not saying that we are hammering them with the Bible over their heads or getting them to sign membership cards, we are simply showing the love to them that Christ overflows from us.

Maybe it will take a flood or some other condition of this magnitude to see Christ. I say it is worth it then if people see God in the midst of this type of catastrophe. Of course most, if not all, of the folks will never come back to the church again after the meals stop. We are fine with that, as our goal is not church attendance. Our goal is to see Jesus magnified and to show love to a hurting people. That has been and is still being accomplished. Sowing seeds of love in hearts that may be stoney now, but with a little cultivating will readily accept, all in God's timing. Our mission field became a lot closer to home over the past few weeks.

Ryan Seaton In Concert

Day 204 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" Series

Had the opportunity to see Ryan Seaton in concert here in Paducah this evening. I have seen him 5 times before, but all with Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. Tonight he was solo, as he is no longer with Signature Sound. Why? I have no idea. I can only speculate. I know his leaving Signature Sound (SS) did play into my decision making process to not listen to SS any longer.

I weigh out my music choices carefully. While I do not have a formula for doing so, there are some things that consistently play part in if I listen to a group or artist or not.

First and foremost is:
Does their music glorify God?
This is really straight forward and there are often variations to some people that use this same question. My thoughts are that if the music itself, lyrics and instrumentation, do not glorify God, especially lyrically, then I will not listen to it. Period. End of story. This disqualifies a lot of groups that claim to be "Christian artists", especially in the CCM genre.

Next question is: What other groups influence this group? Who do they listen to and endorse? One thing that Lifeway does now is really neat (yes, condoning Lifeway for a change). For some new releases they have a little Q&A with the artist and ask who they sound like, who they were influenced by and what they are currently listening to. I will be the first to say that I will not listen to a group that lists blatantly sinful musicians as influences or as their "listening to now". This goes especially to those that list U2, Coldplay and Tom Petty. This is a long list, believe it or not. I saw one artist today list all of these and proudly say he had 16,000 songs on his iPod and was listening to the new U2 CD constantly. Really? Really.

That's pretty much my criteria. I will not listen to any secular music now, by choice. I am forced to hear it at my job a lot, but I find myself blocking it out and seeking the Lord when I am exposed to it.

One other thing that is really important, that a lot of Christians seem to overlook. Is the person singing really a Christian? It is sad to have to even ask this, but so many people out there making music claim to be Christians, but lack some really important doctrinal beliefs. The main group? Phillips, Craig and Dean. These guys are Modalists and deny the Trinity. They are Oneness Pentecostal preachers that use songs that are sound, but the fact that they sing them makes them un-listenable to me. Their music is lulling people and enticing them to follow them. They in turn indoctrinate, eventually, their fans into thinking that their heretical religion is the same as a true Trinitarian denomination. It is not and it is dangerous.

The Ernie Haase story pretty much is Ernie did not glorify God. On his Facebook page he constantly made updates, but never mentioned God. He constantly talked about basketball and his concert dates. The only mention I can remember was on Easter, one line, something along the idea of "Remember what we are celebrating today". I am not saying this man is not a Christian, but by his posts he did not glorify God. So, that was the beginning of the ending of me listening to his group. Then came the release of Ryan Seaton for reasons unknown and seemingly shocking Ryan.

I do not believe for one minute just because someone sings gospel songs they are children of God. Actually if you listen to most Southern Gospel songs lyrics you will see that a large percentage are very man centered. So, I pick and choose carefully in that genre especially. The CCM field is riddled with heresy, so that genre is doing to the younger kids what Phillips, Craig and Dean are doing to the older crowd. Groups that sing about relationships with their boyfriend/ girlfriend and try to pass it off as Christian music? Come on! "Christian radio" playing Daughtry just because he claims to be a Christian? Get a clue (KLOVE).

I just want to ask you to be more discerning in what you ingest into your body. What goes in effects what goes on internally. Just like the food you eat, the entertainment that you consume has implications, good or bad, in your spiritual life or lack of. Be careful and seek diligently what will glorify God. I am sure that if you weigh what you are partaking of in the light of scripture you will soon be pruning some aspects of your entertainment choices away. It may be painful and you may not like it, but it is necessary for a child of the living God to shuck these bad things away. Seek God and lean not to your own understanding, let God lead you instead of you making excuses and defiling God's Name.

Day 78: Workin' For A Livin'

This is my desk at work. Yes, it is a little cluttered, but it works for me. Also there is a little extra clutter as I was trying to get everything caught up because I started vacation today too. So, don't be a hater.

I've been at my job for going on 15 years. That is a very long time and what has made it even longer is I have never called in to work. I left early one time with a very bad sickness, but tried to tough it out and just couldn't make it. I know that while the place would not fall apart without me, it does make a difference when someone doesn't show up or leaves early. That may be why I moved up the ladder to my current position.

Forty hours (plus) a week I labor for a days wage. What I do also understand is that God gave me this job. While it may be hectic and nerve racking at times, it is still a great place to work and it is the means at which God supplied me to supply the needs for my family. Do I ever see myself leaving there? No, but I do know that my plans are not always the Lords plans and He might have a different agenda for me. I pray that I am aware of His guidance and that I am in tune with Him so much that I will hear His voice and follow. I do have a tendency to be a little hard headed at times and have asked God to kick me through doors instead of just bringing me to them.

I also realize that this place is also a mission field for me. These men have worked with me a long time, most before I was converted 4 years ago. They know how I was and they know the changes that God has made in my life. I do pray daily that God will show me the opportunities to share and witness to these people. I may be the only Jesus these people ever see, so once again I need to be so much in tune with God's will that it just comes natural to talk. Being an "office" worker does make it somewhat difficult, but God does provide the opportunities to share. Since praying for the chances to witness at work, God has been faithful and I have shared with many men there. A lot of them claim to be Christians, but by their fruit they are just like the majority in America - deceived. This is the hardest group of people to reach, because they think they already have what you are telling them about. Some of the terminology may be the same, but their understanding is so skewed and twisted that it is hard to make headway. That is just another way to seek God daily - for His power and words to come through me and for those people to be made ready to hear and accept the words. Please join me in prayer for these souls I work with day in and day out. Also pray for your co-workers and others God puts in your path. You may also be the only Jesus these people see.

Revive Us O'Lord

When most people hear the word revival they think of a move of God across the land and people getting saved. There are, most of the time, revival meetings planned months in advance, tents are rented or a brush arbor may even be erected. A designated time when a weeks worth of sermons will be delivered, often from a traveling evangelist. Church members will come and they will also bring friends, neighbors and relatives. There may even be potluck dinners each night to sweeten the call to come. Sadly to say, these meetings are getting fewer and farther between. Attendance has waned as the preaching of the True Gospel of Christ has been diminished across the globe. Man has tried to substitute so many man-centered things into God’s message, that the Power of God is not present at theses meetings, no matter what you call them.

But are these actually “revival” meetings? Do these fit what being revived actually means? Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines revive as : 1 : to restore to consciousness or life 2 : to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state : bring back 3 : to renew in the mind or memory. So the way the word revival is used in “revival meeting” is not accurate. It is being used to mean, instead, an awakening. This is typical of what present day “revival meetings” are meant to be. A call to sinners to repent (hopefully and not the heretical Americanized “gospel” ever present from most pulpits) is not revival.

Biblical revival is a return to a normal state of Christianity. Where believers should be, they have to be revived, renewed or brought back to a former state of being, in essence – a return to where one should be anyway. Then what most people call “revival” happens, an awakening begins as Christians cry out in repentance, others notice. The power of God is seen in believers lives as they become much closer to God, they become more aware of their sins against a Holy God and they become more embolden to speak about the things of God to others. The Lord uses this to draw whom He wills to Himself and thereby an awakening begins. Upon true revival society is changed, God’s wrath is averted and people come to know Him. All things my country desperately need right now.

Lamentations 5:21 Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old,

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Peter speaks of “days of refreshing or revival - Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord

Psalm 85:4-7 Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation.

Habakkuk prays for revival - Habakkuk 3:2 O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

The sad thing is, as humans we soon forget the power of God working in us. We return to our comfortable lives, our 9-5 grind and to our daily household chores. We then need revival again. What I pray for is a revival, a return to where I was when God first saved me. I want to be as close to Him as I was that day and I don’t want to move back away from Him again. I want to move closer and closer to Him daily. I need personal revival first, then I need sustained fellowship and God in turn will use that to His glory. I pray for this in each of my local church body family and the corporate body of Christ.

Oak Grove Baptist Church, my church family, is in prayer for just such a revival. I ask you take this to your congregation as well. Pray for revival first in yourself, then your family, then your church body and then a move of God. There is no formula for revival, but most have begun with the honest and repentant turning to God from our sinfulness. A true broken and contrite spirit of how we have sinned against our Father. Upon a broken nature before our Lord, we ask Him to pour out on us His grace and mercy to be in fellowship with Him. We plead for souls to be added to His Kingdom. If God is gracious and hears our cries, He will move across the land and He will be glorified. We simply want and need to be His vessels; in whatever way He sees fit to use us. “Nominal” Christianity is not acceptable to our Lord and we must seek Him to correct that. At least any true believer should desire that. If not, then you have a much larger problem before you, your souls danger of eternal damnation. True children of God should desire this and need this closeness with our Father.

Cry out to Him to expose the darkest recesses of your heart so you may cry out in repentance to Him. Get on your knees, dear Christian, and plea for revival in your own heart. Get on your face, brother and sister, and shed tears for your lost family members. Just cry out to God and know that He will hear His children.

Letters To A Mormon

For the past 18 months or so I have had an ongoing email conversation with a local Mormon. This all started when I was advertising the 2008 Real Truth Matters Conference on a local classified webpage. I started to get email responses from Steven, stating that the truth could only be found in the LDS religion, the fullness of the gospel I believe is what he calls it.

So I have never wavered from what True Biblical Christianity is. His email replies are short darts that show the tenacity of this false religion. He has recently told me that he once was a member of my former church. This is the one that was not preaching the gospel message, but like many churches today, was preaching a very man centered message with the typical "say this prayer", "make your decision now", "make sure that you know that you know that you know...". So, I can see why he would be dejected about this church in the first place. It seems like our paths kind of started at the same place, he even knew some of my family and mentioned them by name. But that is where the similarities ended.

For whatever reason (he has not told me yet) he was enticed by the Mormon cult. I have asked him before, without response, how he first started the road into Mormonism. Honestly, I am interested to see how someone get's drawn into this religion. I, however, was already in God's process of renewal. He was opening my eyes to my (then) church, the falsity of the American gospel, how I had been deceived for so many years into thinking I was o.k. because at 8 years old I had said the prayer. So, God took me in the total opposite direction. Praise God for that. He could have just as easily had me go the path to the LDS and Steven the path I am on.

But the emails have recently taken a turn. I have been sending the single verse to him in replies -
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Along with that I have been telling him that the LDS "gospel" is not the same as what the Apostles and Jesus Himself preached. He shocked me with "What is your gospel". Now that floored me. Never have I had someone ask me point blank for the Gospel of Christ. Sure, I have had the questions about different topics within Christianity, but never a point blank "Where does your hope lie".

Before I could reply to him, he sent me the Mormon version of the "gospel". Eye opening to say the least. I will include it in this post for reference, just to see how the LDS have mangled who God is. Below is what I sent him as "my gospel". Pray that it did not land on deaf ears. Pray that God uses this to open this man's ears to what True Biblical Christianity is, so that his eyes may be opened like God graciously opened mine and saved my soul from a false gospel.

The email:
This is probably going to be quite lengthy, but I hope that you do not skip around and pick what to read. I am going to put a lot of time into writing this, just for you. The following is the gospel according to the bible, the apostles, the historic church and Christ Himself. I will probably add some personal experience in, but it will not take away from the bible but will confirm it.

First let me say that the LDS use a lot of the same terms that Christianity uses, that I use. But please, make no mistake thinking the terms are the same. They simply use the same word, but the meanings are totally different. I want what I write to stand on it’s own merits with the bible as its foundation, I do not want to say, “the LDS say this, but here is what the bible says”. That is not my reasoning here, I am not a Christian Apologists, I am simply a Christian that wants to share the Good News of Christ with someone. That being said, I do have to make some distinctions up front about my use of words.

Here is a list of words and/or phrases that the LDS may use followed by the biblical meaning/ definition. Please, when I use these words or phrases I am using them in this context and not the LDS context.
ADAM - the first created man by whom all of humanity descends. He was not Michael the archangel.
ATONE – To make amends for, to cover, to reconcile.
ATONEMENT - The substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. He died for our sins (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2).
BAPTISM - An ordinance of the Christian church that is not necessary for salvation (Rom. 5:1).
BIBLE - the Bible is the inspired inerrant word of God (2 Tim. 3:16).
CHURCH - The body of believers in the true and living God through Jesus. It is comprised of those who are redeemed and is not limited to an earthly structure.
DAMNATION - The state of condemnation, judged by God in eternal hell (Matt. 25:46).
ELOHIM - The Hebrew word for "God." The name of God is "YHWH," which means "I AM," (Exodus 3:14).
ETERNAL LIFE - Forgiveness of sins and life eternal with God (John 17:3; Rom. 6:23).
FALL OF MANKIND - The open rebellion of Adam and Eve against God resulting in their condemnation and the fall of mankind.
GOD - The one and only God in all the universe, (Isaiah 44:6,8).
GODHEAD - God Himself, not an office. Three persons in one God. A Trinity: The Father; the Son; and the Holy Spirit.
GOSPEL - The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of the sins of all who would trust in Him (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
HEAVEN - The dwelling place of God (1 Kings 8:30). Christians go to heaven.
HELL - the eternal dwelling place of those who rejected the atoning work of Christ.
HOLY GHOST - Third person of the Trinity. Same as Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).
HOLY SPIRIT - An equivalent term to Holy Ghost, third person in the Trinity.
JEHOVAH -The name of God is "YHWH," which means "I AM," (Exodus 3:14).
JESUS - Jesus is God, second person of the Trinity (John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9).
MARRIAGE - the holy covenant between a man and a woman that is broken at death.
SALVATION - Forgiveness of sins with the result of a present new life and in the future eternal life with God (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 6:23; 10:9-10).
SATAN - A fallen angel who rebelled against God.
SCRIPTURE - Only the Bible is scripture.
TEMPLE - The Old Testament building where God dwelt, sacrifices were offered, and holy priestly rites were administered. There is no longer a need for temples.
TRINITY - The one and only God in all existence who is comprised of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. See Trinity.

Steven, I want to say that I am not out to prove you wrong, but to simply do as any Christian should – share Jesus and what He did for you. While I am not planning on bashing the LDS or any other religion, sometimes I get carried away when I write because I am passionate about my God and His Truths. I ask for forgiveness before I begin if I offend, but I do not ask to be forgiven for what I say. What I say is said in love for my Lord and Savior and my love for your soul. I have nothing to gain by this, except to know that I have done as a Christian should and sow the seed of His Word in Truth and in Love.

I feel that I should start at the beginning, because that is where the bible does. Any deviation from the bible and its truths is the beginning of error. That is where so many religions have gotten off course, their pursuit of non-or extra biblical teachings.

In Genesis 1:1 we are told that God created the heavens and the Earth. Then again in John 1:1 we are told that in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God. These are 2 harmonious verses. John 1:1 uses one name for Jesus (the Word, which is why it is capitalized). If you continue reading in John 1 through verse 3 you will see that all things were made through Jesus and nothing was made without Him (Colossians 1:16-17 also confirm this truth) So these harmonizing verses state that Jesus was the creator of all things, not just some things, but all things. This means through Christ’s Words were the “let there be” verses. This was before Jesus became a man to atone for our sins on the cross, but still the second person of the Trinity, but I do not want to get in over your head right now, so back on track.

Then through Genesis you can see the Spirit moving across the Earth throughout His creation, as He glorified Himself and exalted His own Name through His creation. Part of His creation was man, made in the image of God Himself, Genesis 1:26 and following. Scripture records that God said “let Us make man in Our own Image”, proving again the Triune Nature of the True God. The word used for “in our image” would actually be better translated “as Our representative”, so man was created to represent God on the Earth, That is why God gave man (Adam) dominion over all creation, let him choose the animals names, etc.

It was not long before Satan came to entice God’s creation. To clear up who Satan is, let’s look at Ezekiel 28:15 – 19. Those verses tell us that Satan/ Lucifer was a cherub, a very beautiful angel created by God, who was created perfect. His beauty caused him to hold himself higher than God and initiated a rebellion - some verse of note are Isaiah 14:12 - 14 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Satan wanted to be God, to take away His power. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that Satan has become the "god of this world". And Revelation 20:10 tells us that he will be eternally punished for it. Isaiah 14:15 continues to tell us the final place for Satan - Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Adam was created as an eternal man, perfect, un-aging, knowing nothing of sin. The world was created perfect, no death at all, not even the grass, leaves on the trees or a fly in the air, all was created perfect. Not even a thorn on a rosebush. This was so until Satan deceived Eve in the Garden, he tempted her that she too could have the knowledge that God had if she would just eat from the one tree that God has expressly said not to eat from, she ate then she convinced Adam to do so as well. This is what is called the fall of man or original sin. That was the beginning of all sin and brought forth death and destruction to everything since, men, animals, plants, etc. But most of all it brought forth the second death – separation from God.

God is Holy, He is indescribable. All we can do is futilely attempt to describe some of the characteristics of God – He is unchangeable, immutable, Holy, Love, righteous, eternal, sovereign, powerful, perfect, awesome, wonderful, above all, all knowing, infinite, faithful and true. But all of these words can get nowhere near the magnitude that is God. I would come close to saying that even giving God these characteristics of men’s words borders on blasphemy. God demands perfection and the sin of Adam has separated us all from Him. We are born in sin; we have the DNA of sin.

Think about it, do you have to teach a child to lie? That is just one proof that we are born sinners. A child’s self preservation is inherent of their makeup. It only gets worse as the years tick away.

Have you ever told a lie? How about stolen anything? Doesn’t matter if it was a car or a paperclip from work, value is pointless. How about adultery? Have you ever cheated on your wife? Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 that if you even look at a woman with lust you have already committed adultery with her in your heart. Do you have any gods before the True God? That is the situation of the rich young ruler that went away sad, he had kept the letter of the Law (Moses Law, 10 Commandments and Levitical additions), but still coveted his money and went away sad. Which was his heart condition, he idolized his fortune instead of setting those affections on God. His money was his lord and ruler. So Jesus is quite blunt that sin is a heart condition. I like to say that the actual outward sins that people commit are just the outward manifestations of what their heart says they are. The same as the works of a righteous man are outward manifestations of their heart condition and love of God, instead of their hate for God in their sins.

So, there was a conflict started here. It was man’s sin that had to be reconciled to God. In the O.T. this was done by animal sacrifices. The best of the flocks was needed to temporarily cover the sins for the year. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Constantly through the O.T. we are shown that animal sacrifice was used to atone for the sins of God’s people. This was a sign pointing to Jesus Christ. There are many prophesies throughout the Old Testament that point to Christ and His coming and His Work for us.

Sin separates us from God. God in His Holiness cannot look upon sin, so there had to be a reconciliation to happen. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God is longsuffering and doesn’t want any to perish. This shows that He made a way of reconciliation for us. That is one thing we must know, that God does it all. It is nothing that we do, we cannot reconcile ourselves to Him, all we can do is what is natural to us…. sin. So, over the millennia peoples sins were covered by the shedding of animal’s blood, this was not true forgiveness but pointed to the true forgiveness to come. Since God loves us, He wants us to be reconciled to Him, so there needed to be a Perfect Sacrifice. This did not have to happen, God would still have been just as loving, just as good and just as Holy had He not made a Way for us. This reconciliation we did not and do not deserve, we can do nothing to deserve forgiveness and our self-worship, but God had different plans.

This is what is referenced in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – We purchase our own way with our sins, to destruction and separation from God. But God gives us, grants us eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus was conceived miraculously per the Gospels, Luke 1 tells us a good account that an angel spoke to Mary and said she would be with child. She did not understand because she had not known a man verse 34. This was the 2nd of the Trinity, the Son, that became flesh, that He may live a sinless life, take upon Himself our sins and die and with the shedding of His blood atone for our sins, pay The Price, a legal contract was fulfilled an exchange – Jesus’ blood for our sins. He paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow.

To understand this, you must understand that Jesus was God. He was not an offspring created as Lucifer or you or me as “spirit children”. If that were so, He would have the same sinful nature as we do, which would make His work on the cross void. God required a sinless sacrifice to atone for our sins, and Jesus is and was the only candidate. He voluntarily laid His “Godness” aside and became flesh, to live with the same temptations as we all have, but to not be tempted to partake, to live sinless, to never get angry without cause, to never lust after a woman, to never desire to have a lot of stuff in his house. He came so we could be reconciled to Him. WOW! That is the good news of the Gospel, Christ Himself, not just knowing about Him, not knowing what He did and not even what He did, but Him alone as the Gospel. Here is a quote from Real Truth Matters that explains it better than I can:

The gospel is not just about the death and resurrection of Christ. It is Jesus. It is Jesus, His person as the Son of God and the Son of Man. It is all about what He is and has done in the redemption of sinners.

This constitutes a major portion of the problem of modernized Christianity. It fails to recognize Christ, Himself. Even though Jesus is the subject of its gospel, He is not the gospel to most professing Christians. Their gospel is what Jesus has done for them. But the New Testament does not tell men to believe in only what He has done. It tells them to believe upon Him and in Him.

So Jesus is the Gospel, The Spotless Lamb, The Son of God, The Son of Man, slain for you, slain for me. Because of our sinfulness and rejection to be reconciled to God by Christ’s atoning work on the cross for us, we then choose eternal separation from God. This is called hell by a few different names in scripture, also the lake of fire. This is where a person will spend eternal separation and punishment for their sins. There will be no second chance, no hope of making amends there. I actually think that those that go to hell will be cursing God, blaming Him for putting them there. They will not be crying out for Him, especially the one’s that thought they knew Him, those referenced in Matthew 7 :22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? : 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. These are the heretical preachers of this day and those of past that have taken God’s Word to mean what benefits them the most. They have added to scriptures, they have taken scripture away, they make gods to suit their own needs or that “god is love, wants me rich or has to give me something because I speak it into existence”.

Now, since you have been told the gospel of Jesus, who Jesus is, what Jesus did and your plight as a sinner in need of payment for your sins, you are without excuse if you reject what you have heard. I have tried to clearly convey, biblically what sin is and how as humans we are naturally sinful. We are actually dead in our sins. As a physically dead person can’t resuscitate himself or herself, neither can we as spiritually dead people. We love our sins, we can’t stand a Holy God and by our actions we actually prove that we hate Him. We want to purchase our way to hell with our sins and with our rejection to God’s love for us.

So what can you do? Get ready for this…… nothing. There is nothing that you can do to save yourself. Just as the physically dead man can’t save his own life, you can’t do anything to save your spiritual being either. If we put conditions that God must do something because of something we did, it would be a works based salvation. That is why there are so many different religions out there, they all try to do something to gain favor in God’s eye and they all fail miserably. Only True Biblical Christianity says that God initiates salvation and gives the way to salvation, through Him. There is nothing we can do in and of ourselves. All we can do is see ourselves as the sinful wretches that we are. We live and breath sin daily and must be cleansed. God is Holy and we cannot be in His presence as sinners, we need a mediator, the God Man Jesus Christ, 100% God, 100% man, neither intermingling with the other. Jesus’ “God-ness” doesn’t interact with His “man-ness” and vice versa. Can I explain that? No. And I am glad that I can’t. Just as I can’t explain the parting of the sea or how 3 boys can stand in the midst of a fiery furnace, I am glad that I can not explain my God.

All we can do is see our need for salvation, not just from hell but also from our sinful lives that cause grief to God. You must see Him as Holy and yourself as nothing and cry out to Him to save you. He promised that all that seek Him will find Him, that all that cry out to Him will be saved, so there is your promise. Then when He does save you, you will continue in holiness, striving to gain a more complete knowledge of Him. Your outlook on everything will change, you will no longer desire the sinful things you once did, you will begin to shed the layers of sin that mired you down. You have been bought with a Price, you are His property and you serve Him out of love and not out of need. The works that you perform are a sign to the world that you love God and you are His, not to try to gain favor to Him. He will give you discernment and grace to see what in your life is in need of change. He can even miraculously take things away from your life that are sin, as He did in an instant with my smoking habit of 24 years. When He saves you…. He saves you from it all. To try and add something to Christ’s work is heresy at the highest, it is disbelief that God has paid it all… for you.

So, Steven you have some things to think over. To weigh the costs. Read through Luke 14 and see what Jesus said about counting the costs. You must weigh out your life and your eternity. Do you want to live as you are now, on the road to an eternal damnation, paving that road with your sins? Or do you want to give it all to God and let Him carry you on the road to glory? It is a no brainer to me, but to most it is a foreign concept.

I am praying for you Steven. Just as I have done for the past 18 months or so. I have nothing to gain from this; I have no hidden agenda, not trying to get you to join a church, give money to a group or to make myself feel better. I am pleading for you Steven. Pleading for your soul, that you may be granted the re-birth as scripture says. That you will be given new eyes and a clear understanding of God’s Word. I don’t know you other than through the short emails we send from time to time, but I love you Steven. I do not want you to end up in hell. If I saw a child standing in a busy street with a semi truck blazing toward them, oblivious to their surrounding – you can believe I would do all I could to get that child out of that street and to safety. That is what I am doing now Steven. I am pleading with you because you stand in danger of death and destruction. So, what are you going to do about it? Continue on that path or give it all to God and allow Him to place you on His path?

In His Holy Name,
Jeff

And here is Steven's LDS/ Mormon "gospel"
All of us that ever lived, and will live upon this earth were created as
spirit beings by our HEAVENLY FATHER. We lived with HIM before we are born
into this life. When all of HIS spirit children were all still together with
HIM, the war in heaven took place. Lucifer said that he would be the savior
and redeemer and that he would bring us all back home. He would use force to
make us do right. We could not choose between good and evil. And he would
take all of the glory of HEAVENLY FATHER. JESUS, being the firstborn of
HEAVENLY FATHERS spirit children, offered to be the SAVIOR and REDEEMER. HE
said that HE would come to earth and take upon HIM all of the sins of us
all, which HE did in the garden of Gethsemane, [this act is called the
atonement], and that HE would willingly give up HIS life on the cross so
that we would all be resurrected. HE would give all of the glory to HEAVENLY
FATHER. One third of HEAVENLY FATHERS spirit children accepted lucifers plan
and with him were cast out onto this earth, and thusly will not be
resurrected or have eternal life. They are here to tempt and torment us, but
our HEAVENLY FATHER will not allow no more to be put upon us than we can
handle. The two thirds of us [you and me included] accepted JESUS to be the
SAVIOR and REDEEMER, thus we come to earth to be tried and tested, and to
receive a body,to be resurrected and also have the potential for eternal
life.

Merry Christmas - Proclaim His Goodness

Luke 2:10-14 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


As Christmas morning approaches each year and I see more and more of the secularizing of this great Holiday I am drawn more to what Christmas is all about. We are all aware that December 25th is not the actual birthday of Jesus. Science actually tells us it was probably mid-summer, but does the date really matter? Are we to be celebrating the "day" or are we to be celebrating the Love of God that would send us His Son, that would 33 years later take His wrath upon Him for our sins? Your sins, my sins. The significance of December 25th should be it is a common day that we, as Christians, set aside to do just that, Celebrate our Lord and Saviour.

But don't forget the reason for Christ's birth in your celebrations. What better day to share the message of Christ, His Gospel, to an unsaved family member or friend? As Christians we are ambassadors for Christ in every situation and especially at Christmas time, when most of the world uses it as an excuse to throw a party and tip back a few (probably more than a few) drinks and eat a whole bunch, we have the duty to proclaim the real Reason for the season. The reason is not to party, not to eat, not to give or receive Christmas gifts, but to celebrate The Gift, Christ.

You already have an opening to the evangelical conversation. "Merry Christmas!" is the ultimate "ice breaker" as Way of the Master puts it. It is an entry, a reason to spark a conversation about things Spiritual. Share your testimony of what Christs birth, His death and His resurrection means to you. Explain Christs propitiation for us. Explain repentance and the TRUTH of the Gospel Message. Do not let this Christmas pass without sharing the greatest Gift with someone you love.

Also keep in mind that not all that profess Christ are really His. Don't let Uncle Bubby tell you that he "took care of it a long time ago" or that he's "got his ticket" or "he said that prayer" or "walked the aisle" when he was a kid. If his fruits aren't in alignment with the Word of God, he is as lost as your Christmas turkey. Share with him the TRUTH of the Word, not what man has distorted to accommodate their sins. The Word is clear that if you are fiends of the World you are and enemy of God James 4:4. Treat the professing Christian the same as any other lost person, because they are lost too, much more deceived, but just as lost. Pray that the Spirit will give you the words to say and He will. Let His will be done this day. Share Him with those you love and if by the off chance everyone in your family is a truly born again Christian, stop by a gas station and share Christ with those poor people that have to spend their Christmas Day working.

May the Lord Bless you all this day and every day!
Merry Christmas!

The New Jesus Movie

Just wanted to take a short moment to let everyone know about this great ministry opportunity. We all have the chance to be part of the new Jesus movie, as producers. Well, not actually make the movie, but be able to give $10 towards the making of this movie.

Please check out the video below and the New Jesus Movie website for information. The producer of this movie is to be a Word for Word adaption of the Book of John, the vision of Bruce Marchiano. If Marchiano's name sounds familiar it is because he played Jesus in movie version of The Gospel of Matthew, which was also a Word for Word movie version of the Book of Matthew.

This is a great opportunity to make a high quality movie that will gain much attention and could be a tool used of God to save countless souls. The producers are not out to have a large box office, but rather have this movie on millions of iPods, computers and streaming across the internet. Monetary gains are not the goal, but the precious souls of the lost and the edification of Gods people.

Please prayerfully consider being a part of this wonderful ministry.


Frequently Asked Questions

Why another Jesus film?
Many great Jesus films have been produced over the years, and God has used them all for His glory. There are several focuses that make Jesus… No Greater Love unique and vital. To list only a few, our vision is to bring the Gospel story to film afresh using the latest cutting edge, big screen technology - to truly create a Jesus movie for a new generation of highly sophisticated film-goers.

Also, where Jesus films generally focus on the gospel events, Jesus… No Greater Love focuses on a revelation of "The Man" - his heart and person, impassioned, joyous, relevant, brimming with kingdom authority, driven "on a mission of redemptive love" - the Jesus of Scripture.

Who will be the Producer and Director?

Bruce Marchiano is our current writer/producer. Once funding is underway we will begin interviewing prospective directors as well as co-producer(s) to solidify the team.

What happens if you meet your film budget of $45 million and donations continue to come in?
We sure hope this happens. All money received beyond the $45 million will be used to release the film in different languages and to distribute these new versions around the world. We want to present the Gospel to as many people as possible. To meet this goal, we will sustain our fund raising efforts year after year so that we can continue translating the film into new languages.

What Bible translation will be used for your word-for-word film?
We are currently in negotiations with two different translation rights holders and will make this determination before end 2009.

Will Bruce Marchiano be playing the role of Jesus like he did in Matthew?
We are hoping Bruce will reprise the role of Jesus, but as in all kingdom endeavors, ours is not to presume anything. Thus we are intensely seeking God along with Bruce, keeping our hearts open for any fresh direction He might want us to pursue. We are counting on the Lord's clear leadership here, as we are with all critical decisions.

Why the book of John when there already is a film on the book of John?
There are depths, multi-layers and prophetic dynamics of John's gospel that have yet to be explored on film. As does John's written gospel, Jesus… No Greater Love literally begins "In the beginning," unpacking the revelation of Jesus in the Law and the Prophets of the Torah, presenting Jesus as more than a man who teaches and heals, but the living reality of the living God, I AM in human flesh, as prophesied for centuries and now fulfilled. This film uniquely presents Jesus in the fullness of "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

Why film a word-for-word version rather than a dramatic script?

We believe that the power of God’s Word, portrayed by the right cast and masterfully filmed, will be immeasurably more powerful and impactful than any dramatization to date. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). There is really no need to improve on what God Himself has written by adding story elements and/or fictionalizing. Demonstrating this distinction between man’s voice and the authoritative voice of God is vitally important to sharing the Gospel with a postmodern generation wondering if absolute truth exists and who, if anyone, has the authority to share it. We will not alter the words God has given, and we will trust His promises about the power of those words.

What if you do not raise enough money by your deadline?
To effectively produce the film, we must receive substantial donations within specified time frames. If we do not, by targeted dates, receive benchmark levels of donations, we will be forced to make difficult decisions regarding whether to continue the project. Our first critical target date for raising funds is March 1, 2010. If targets are missed and the decision is made, that we will not be able to complete the project, we will distribute the excess donations to a few selected ministries that are spreading the Gospel in creative ways. With this arrangement in mind, you can be sure that your contribution will be used to promote the Gospel, regardless of whether the film is successfully produced.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

In the United States, a resounding "Yes!" Marchiano Ministries is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. All donations to the New Jesus Movie are tax deductible to the limits allowed by law.

Have a question not answered above?
Send it to us at info@newjesusmovie.com.

The Ugly Duckling Syndrome or Always Chosen last

Just sitting here thinking back to my youth…. On the playground…… kickball, basketball, baseball, football, any other sport going on…. Thinking about how it was being the last one picked for a team or being the odd person out and not being picked at all. Things like that follow a person through their whole life and help shape them into the person they become.

Some people strive to become better at a chosen sport or activity in order that they will then not be left out or be embarrassed by being the last one chosen. Is there anything wrong with that? I guess it depends on the reasoning behind it. Do they want to fit in because they desire what someone else has, in this case a relationship with other people. Or are they actually trying to better themselves? In most cases it is probably to fit in, to not be left out, to not be ridiculed, to be liked, etc.

If it is to fit in then they are in affect trying to be something they aren’t in order to gain favor with a particular person or group of people. Is that a good thing? I would say not. My reasoning, because they would then be living a lie and emulating the others instead of being their own person.

So how does this have to do with Christianity, or better yet the church? Glad you asked. So many times people get side tracked into areas where they are trying to serve someone other than God. This could be a great mission, if it weren’t for the motives behind it. I have seen many people do things they did not want to do in order to make themselves look better, make someone else happy or not get a bad reputation for doing them. All of which are wrong reasons for doing anything within a Christian body of believers.

1 Cor. 3:11-15 lays this out for us. Any works that are not built upon Christ will be burned up. That means that if you do anything for selfish motivations, the Lord will disregard them. So all the people that are serving ministries out of duty, out of a desire to be noticed, out of a desire to make themselves shine, then they are doing it in vain. But going in the other direction a person may not be as capable of doing something in the most popular manner, but have a desire to please the Lord and no one else. They may not know the correct words to say, the right buttons to push or may not do things the way some people would have them done, but they are serving the Lord and not a selfish desire.

These are the humble and weak that follow the Lord with an inward zeal to glorify Him. They are the ones that are most often time left on the sidelines because they do not fit in, or chosen last because their skills may be lacking in some areas. These weaker vessels need to be discipled instead of cast off as useless, or shunned because they may be different than everyone else. After all, aren’t all Christians the outcasts of the world? Shouldn’t the outcasts of the world be pulling together instead of apart?

Let me remind you what the Word of God says:
1 Corinthians 12:20-26 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Wow! That is exactly what the church does not do. Instead these weaker parts are cast by the wayside. They look in at what the others are doing in their little cliques and wonder why they are on the outside when all they want to do is work with the other hand, the other eye, the foot, the little finger or the mouth and glorify God, build the Lords kingdom and be a member of the body instead of being a cast off. After all would you cut your feet off because your belly was big, because your feet did not run around enough to burn enough calories for weight loss? Or would you nurture your feet and see how they could work with the whole body toward the same goal?

So next time think about the “little people” that are looking into your circle of friends and invite them in. These people could be the missing puzzle piece… er uh, body part that could complete the goal that has been set forth. Even if their skills may be lacking, they may be a little slower than you or they may need some coaching (discipleship) they may be the body part that God wants to use to His glory.

Also don’t forget he story of the ugly duckling. Not a biblical story per se, but goes right along with the 1Cor.12 quote above. The “duckling” was seen as ugly because it did not fit in, there fore shunned by its brothers and sisters. Only until they saw the “duckling” in its true state as a beautiful swan could they appreciate it in how its beauty glorified Gods work. The same could be as the outcast duckling in your church, they could be waiting for the Lord to show you His glory through them and when He does….. it will be more beautiful than you could ever imagine.

Praise God For Smoking? (Let me explain......)

I would just like to publicly thank God for allowing me to smoke for 24 years. I started when I was 14 and when God truly converted me just a few years ago, He took that away from me. I tried several times to no avail and could not do it on my own. Kind of like my conversion too - I said "the prayer" countless times through my life and only until He saved me was it real.

So why am I praising God for allowing me to smoke for those 24 years? Because it gave me a common ground to be able to share my faith in God tonight. See, even though I may ramble on in my writings, in person I have a tendency to be somewhat quiet, well o.k. REALLY quiet. So when God opened my mouth this evening to witness to a group of teens at an area rally for teens, it was really breathtaking. There was a young lady smoking while sitting on a bench outside of the "Christian" event. In fact there were a lot of teens smoking outside of this event. A few of us were handing out tracts and Scott and Bobby are truly gifted in the area of street evangelism, me not so much. My heart is there, but my mouth doesn't seem to cooperate very much. I am normally there for spiritual support (which is needed), so when God saw fit to put me in contact with this group of teens, give me an "in", something I could relate to them with, it was awesome. Did I stumble on my words? You bet ya I did. But God was glorified, I did share the gospel and God did use me in a way I have been praying for - for a looooooooong time now.

Please pray for me as the Lord continues to mold me and shape me. Also please pray for the groups that go out from my home church to be empowered as we go out to spread the Word of God in the coming weeks. Please pray specifically that when God puts specific people in our path that we realize who they are, that we will look to the cross for His strength and that He is glorified. We are just spreading seeds and the Lord will water and harvest.

Praise the Lord for allowing me to smoke for 24 years, that it may work for Him to be able to spread His glory to others. Wow! I am speechless. God is good.

Merry Christmas To You All

Luke 2:10-14 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


Good Morning and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

As Christmas morning approaches each year and I see more and more of the secularizing of this great Holiday I am drawn more to what Christmas is all about. We are all aware that December 25th is not the actual birthday of Jesus. Science actually tells us it was probably mid-summer, but does the date really matter? Are we to be celebrating the "day" or are we to be celebrating the Love of God that would send us His Son, that would 33 years later take His wrath upon Him for our sins? Your sins, my sins. The significance of December 25th should be it is a common day that we, as Christians, set aside to do just that, Celebrate our Lord and Saviour.

But don't forget the reason for Christ's birth in your celebrations. What better day to share the message of Christ, His Gospel, to an unsaved family member or friend? As Christians we are ambassadors for Christ in every situation and especially at Christmas time, when most of the world uses it as an excuse to throw a party and tip back a few (probably more than a few) drinks and eat a whole bunch, we have the duty to proclaim the real Reason for the season. The reason is not to party, not to eat, not to give or receive Christmas gifts, but to celebrate The Gift, Christ.

You already have an opening to the evangelical conversation. "Merry Christmas!" is the ultimate "ice breaker" as Way of the Master puts it. It is an entry, a reason to spark a conversation about things Spiritual. Share your testimony of what Christs birth, His death and His resurrection means to you. Explain Christs propitiation for us. Explain repentance and the TRUTH of the Gospel Message. Do not let this Christmas pass without sharing the greatest Gift with someone you love.

Also keep in mind that not all that profess Christ are really His. Don't let Uncle Bubby tell you that he "took care of it a long time ago" or that he's "got his ticket" or "he said that prayer" or "walked the aisle" when he was a kid. If his fruits aren't in alignment with the Word of God, he is as lost as your Christmas turkey. Share with him the TRUTH of the Word, not what man has distorted to accommodate their sins. The Word is clear that if you are fiends of the World you are and enemy of God James 4:4. Treat the professing Christian the same as any other lost person, because they are lost too, much more deceived, but just as lost. Pray that the Spirit will give you the words to say and He will. Let His will be done this day. Share Him with those you love and if by the off chance everyone in your family is a truly born again Christian, stop by a gas station and share Christ with those poor people that have to spend their Christmas Day working.

May the Lord Bless you all this day and every day!
Merry Christmas!

Real Truth Matters

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you all know about a great website to check out, Real Truth Matters. It is full of sermon downloads, manuscripts and regularly updated blogs from some really gifted people.

Please take the time to check it out and if you have a blog or web page of your own please put a link to it yourself. The weekly sermons are awesome. Pastor Michael Durham speaks the truth as revcealed in scripture and does not compromise.

The Great Commision As America See's It

Matthew 28:19-20 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Have you ever bribed someone to become a Christian? Have you ever told someone “I’ll give you $1 a day as long as you follow Christ, listen to a sermon every day and read this Bible I give to you?” Would that be a draw to someone? Probably not in the depraved United States, Canada, England or any other economically “sound” country.

What if you did the same thing in a deprived nation instead of a depraved nation? Imagine the people that would be knocking you down to get that dollar bill a day. Let’s use Ethiopia as an example. This is one of the poorest countries in the World. The Per Capita income of Ethiopia is in the $90 range, meaning some people get more and some get less. So offering a person $1 a day would make that person wealthy in Ethiopia. Now what if you changed the offer, “I’ll feed you, your family, your village every day. I’ll build you houses, give you free medical and dental care, dig fresh water wells and set up schools for your people. All you have to do is listen to our message, follow what we say and accept Christ as your savior.” Does that sound familiar to anyone? Am I very far off base as to what goes on in some mission fields?

I have heard mission trip reports of how many people were fed, how many teeth pulled, how much food given out, how many people ministered to and how many people that got saved. Let me clarify something now before you read any further – I am not against missionaries, I am not against feeding the poor, I am not against treating the infirmed or pulling teeth. I believe a Christian should help out who they can, when they can. But I will put this out there – Is it biblical for confessing Christians to bribe the poor people with food, health care and shelter in order to “get decisions for Christ”?

Jesus did feed thousands on a couple occasions found in scripture (Matt. 14:13-21, John 6:1-14) and it would probably be safe to say He did even more times than these. What I see in these passages is Jesus feeding those that were following Him to hear His Word. They were not being bribed with food to come and listen. Not to say that some did not have the purpose of a free meal in mind. But the food was secondary, it was not a calling, it was not an issue. It was a freebie if you will. The draw was Christ Himself and His Word, Christ’s teachings, not bread and fish.

Once again I am not disrespecting the feeding of the starving or any other good that comes out of mission trips. What I am speaking about is motives for why people do these things. Is it to feed people, help people? Is it more selfish and about the mission persons works and to feel better about themselves. Is it about the numbers and boasting about how many people “accepted Christ” along with the bag of beans? I am sure that a lot of emotion is seen on the mission field, a lot of joy and a lot of grief. Shouldn't Christ be central to everything on the mission field? Not the human ego that thrives on “feeling good” about what they have done. But is that the answer to this dilemma? A lot of missions trips are for the sole purpose of making the missionary feel better about themselves, feel good that they “did their part and saved some souls”?

What if only 10% of those souls were the only truly converted ones? Actually, what about the other 90% that were told because they “accepted Jesus” that they were going to heaven where they would never be hungry again, where you can have whatever your hearts content, where the person’s needs are magnified above The True Reason for Heaven. God. Sure the benefits of being in heaven are great, but is that a persons motivation for going there? If so I would strongly consider doing a self-examination to see if you are really in the faith - 2 Cor 13:1-10. God is central to any truly converted life. Not the sparkles that entice the flesh, be it food, health care, fixed marriages, healed relationships, full bank accounts or a warm fuzzy feeling. All of those may be true fruits, but the Lord is the True Reason, His Glory, His Exaltation. We are but mere slaves that He bought but a great price, a true Christian is not central to their own lives, but the Master is central and is worth everything.

So what is the answer for missions trips? Like anything else the answer is God. What will bring Him more glory? What will get the message of the Cross out there more? Spending $5,000 for a missions trip per person, or sending that same $5,000 to indigenous missionaries that can use that same $5,000 to build 5 churches or feed a whole village for a year or send 10,000 bibles to China? What is the motivation is the ultimate question and answer as well? Is it self-centered or is it God centered?

What about the American mission field? What should an evangelist do in America if 90% of the “decisions” they are getting are not true conversions? This is the exact question I would submit to the large crusades, celebrations and festivals throughout the USA. If the 10% were your goal and the 90% thought they were saved but were speeding toward an eternal hell, would you change your message? Would you tell the 90% that they were damned or would you assure them that because of their decision, an emotional outpouring, after hearing you speak of how bad hell was on one extreme or how loving God is on the other extreme they “decide” to follow Christ? Jeremiah 17:9 declares that the heart is wicked above all things. We as humans are wicked and therefore it is our nature to reject God in His Holiness and righteousness. We need Him to burden us, to show us our sins, to take us to a point where we then see how deceitfully wicked we are, how much our lives were lived in hating God and how unrighteous and deserving of hell we really are. Then and only then can you look to God and plead for His forgiveness through the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross, Repent and Believe is all we can do, it is the only way to God through Christ. You can’t profess to be a Christian and live like the world (Romans 12:1-2, James 4:4, John 15:19, John 17:14) it is not possible – can a dog meow or a cat bark? Can a fish live out of water? So a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) cannot live like the world. We are birthed into the family of God out of the bondage of sin, we are His and He will keep His children faithful. God will not partially do anything; He will always finish what He starts (Phil. 1:6)

So just seek the Lord’s Word on missions. Do not jump into something with selfish motives. God does not need more missionaries to go have a feel good trip, that will make you feel good for taking beans to an outskirt area in Africa. He needs His people to take the Word of God in all Its glory to those people, without compromise, without bribery and without selfish motives. As I said before if you really want to help, send your $5000 to an indigenous or native missionary and take the vacation time you would have traveled on and go to the outskirts of your own city, or the vastest mission field of all – the American Church.

A great place to start if you would really like to help spread the Word of God would be Heart Cry Missionary Society. This is a great organization that takes the true Word of God to many places first and foremost, without compromise. I am sure there are many other missions and opportunities for you to be a part of sowing the seed of Gods Word throughout the world. Please do extensive research and commit to prayerfully seeking God's will before you send money to any of them. Make sure that the Word of God in TRUTH is the foremost to whatever group you send financial support to. If you truthfully seek Gods guidance He will direct you.